by Unknown
Then Salem saw the crystal valley and veered away from us. He made a dive and we had no choice but to follow him. At the last second, he pulled up short and circled the center of the crystal lined valley, flying around it to catch every view of the sparkling gems that made up the valley's walls. He flew by the waterfall at the far end and dragged his tail through it happily, making dazzling rainbows in the air, and then he alighted on the valley floor, which was a single piece of translucent quartz bigger than a football field.
“Salem,” I landed next to him. “This isn't our kingdom and we haven't been invited here.” I looked around warily but there was no one to be seen, the valley was empty, the crystal cold beneath my padded feet.
“Oh, my bad,” Salem grinned, his tongue lolling out. “It was just so sparkly. You know us dragons and jewels.”
“Huh, no I didn't,” I blinked, “but that explains a lot.”
“We must go. Now!” Arach nudged us with nose and tail so we both lifted into the air. “That could be construed as more than a warning,” he shouted to us over the wind. “Let's head to the Water Kingdom quickly, before the knights of Earth try to shoot us down.”
“Shoot us down?” I asked, horrified.
“By spear or javelin,” Arach confirmed. “And they'd be within their rights.”
“That's not very hospitable,” Salem muttered.
We swerved about and went to the right, where Earth bordered Water, passing over mountains as tall as the alps and already covered in snow. Then the Water Kingdom spread out below us and I lost all concern over being shot out of the sky. This was much more friendlier territory.
The water was so pure it was crystal clear almost all the way down to the ocean floor. Fey lights lit the cities and the crystal tubes traversing the sandy bottom, their light casting wide through the pristine water and revealing an enchanting world that I appreciated much more from above than within. It was like looking down on the most massive and magical aquarium in existence. The castle in the center of the split cities of Under and Water was so beautiful it made me sigh.
The water supported the castle's weight and the fey who had created it had taken advantage of this. They had built delicate towers that would have been impossible on land and their flexible forms swayed gently in the currents like kelp. Fish and fey swam through open windows and doors, adding another layer of movement and color. The white stone of the castle was set on a green stone foundation, which was both base to the Water city and roof to Under. A glowing pearl displayed on green velvet.
Terrifying and enchanting sea creatures swam elegantly through the water, maneuvering around coral and kelp beds like we maneuvered around the trees. Their sparkling bodies added bright splashes of color to the neutral background of the sand but their graceful movements made it such a peaceful picture. We swooped lower to take an even closer look before angling upward and over to the Kingdom of Air.
The last time I'd flown through Air was when I'd been pushed off a floating island by Aoife. I was hoping this experience would be much better. The mists lost their terror when you knew you could navigate them. But Arach pulled us up short and veered us around the kingdom before we could penetrate the ghostly veil.
“It would be akin to landing in Earth,” he called over to us. “Here, the air is the kingdom and we haven't been invited in. Let's show Salem the Kingdom of Fire instead.”
So we passed by the Air Kingdom, flying over the Road of Neutrality instead of through the mists. It was probably just as well, I recalled Arach saying that the Air Kingdom put things in the mist for protection. He hadn't elaborated, probably because he didn't know, and I was okay with continuing on in ignorance. Some things in Faerie are better left unseen.
As soon as we reached the Mountains of Serenity, the mountain range that formed a natural barrier between the Fire Kingdom and the rest of Faerie, we scaled its red-tinted heights and flew over to the other side.
We came almost immediately to the Weeping Woods, which was close to the border of Air, called thus for the condensation that made the waxy leafed plants in the tropical woods appear to be weeping. The air was heavy with moisture but it was warm, heated by the numerous vents in the earth, and after the cool air of the rest of Faerie, it was a relief. All three of us rolled about in it before continuing on.
We passed over Caitir's village and my friend came running out of her newly shuttered home to wave up at us. I screeched happily back at her, pretty sure that my voice wouldn't make the trip down. She beamed at me, her white teeth showing up bright against her pure black skin and her black hair snaking about her.
Then we were on to the other villages and I was glad for the trip. It allowed me to see that they'd taken our advice and prepared their homes for the coming winter. Everyone was hard at work on something, whether it was gathering food or making heat sources, and I was relieved to see it.
We went over every village, showing Salem all the different terrains of our kingdom, from the lush tropical forests-heated by the lava rivers that flowed underground and the vents that cracked the surface, to the hot springs back near the Tine. We saw the empty fields, harvested down to the last vegetable in preparation of winter, and the open plains which held numerous villages made up of beautiful stone homes shaped into delicate forms.
Glowing ribbons of lava decorated our whole kingdom like veins on a body and around them life blossomed. The vegetation was lush and the animal life just as plentiful. Herds of strange animals ran across the fields beneath us and birds took to the air as we passed by. The effects of Autumn seemed to have barely taken a toll.
But then I saw it, patches of barren earth and withering plant life. Fire hadn't gone completely unscathed after all. Still, the changes seemed minor and I was hopeful that the fire fey would get through the winter with the least amount of difficulties. We finally came to the end of our wedge shaped kingdom, passing over the hot springs and then coming to the Tine, the wide lake that was the final border to our lands.
Each kingdom was sided by the other elements, Spirit at its front, one element to each side, and then a border of the final element at its back. So because the Water Kingdom was directly across from us, our back was defined by a lake, not a lake of lava but a real lake. It was fed by the waterfall that fell over the basin of the Kingdom of Water and went below the Forgetful Forest to bubble up behind us. The Tine completed the circuit by flowing back underground to return to the ocean it came from.
I looked beyond the lake, toward the end of the realm, and it made me shiver, thinking of the dark inside Faerie. Dark around her and now inside of her, it felt like a hopeless battle but weren't those the best ones to win?
We turned about before we even came close to the end of the Tine and headed home. Even with flying the trip had taken hours and we were all getting tired. So when we finally arrived back at Castle Aithinne and I spotted a commotion on the other side of the castle that edged the Forgetful Forest, I sighed deeply before I motioned to Arach that we should investigate.
I landed beside a group of fire fey gathered in a circle and peering down at something on the ground. Isleen had been heading out to investigate the hubbub as well but when she saw us, she nodded and headed back into the castle for some clothes. I loved that woman, so efficient.
The group saw us before we landed and edged back so we could approach and get a look at whatever had captured their attention. In my head I was chanting over and over, don't be dead faeries, don't be dead faeries. So I was extra surprised when I found the exact opposite of what I feared. It was a basket with a baby inside it.
“My Queen?” Isleen held up a dress and I nodded, moving behind Arach and Salem to change back to human and clothe myself. Arach didn't care who saw him naked and changed right after I did, distractedly taking the pants Isleen handed him.
“Whose child is this?” I looked around the assorted fire fey who were first on the scene.
“None of ours, Queen Vervain,” Breck sang. “Abandoning a babe
is such a shame.”
“Yes it is,” I nodded to her. “And why would any faerie do that?” I looked up at Arach but his attention was fixed on the basket. He leaned forward and pulled out a piece of paper that had been tucked within the baby's blanket. “What does it say?” I asked after he'd read it and reacted with a shocked expression.
“It's Roarke's son,” Arach blinked at me. “His last lover conceived and when the child was born, she discovered that he was a fire cat-sidhe and she felt that he would have a better life with his father.”
“No freaking way,” I knelt down by the basket and unwrapped the swaddling as I heard Arach ask Isleen to fetch Roarke.
Within the white blanket was a little sleeping boy. His hair was jet black and tufted so that it looked as if he had a mohawk. His skin was pale against that black but tinged a light pink. He looked so human but then I stroked his cheek and he opened his eyes to stare up at me sleepily. His fiery eyes. I laughed and he made a chagrined face, like I was disturbing his rest and why don't I just shut up? Oh yes, he conveyed all that in one look, he was definitely Roarke's son.
I wrapped him back up and lifted him into my arms, nuzzling the soft baby face. I could feel the fire inside him, it pulsed out of him in waves and called to my own fire. Like recognizing like. He yawned and stuck his fingers in his mouth to suck on. He was probably hungry, he needed his mother to feed him but his mother had just abandoned him for being the wrong kind of fey.
“Don't worry, little guy,” I whispered as I kissed his forehead. “You'll have more than enough love here. I just hope you like regular milk.”
Inwardly I chastised myself. I didn't know this woman or what she had gone through to bring her child here. She may very well have thought this was best for him, as fey were most happy among their own element, and who knows what kind of obstacles he might have faced among the earth fey. Giving up this child was probably the hardest thing she ever had to do and there I was condemning her for it. It was very unfair of me and I made a secret vow to her that I would make up for it by making sure her son was well cared for.
“What is it?” Roarke grumbled as he came out of the castle. “It's getting damn cold out here. Couldn't this be done inside?” He stopped short when he saw the baby. “Whose babe is that? Where did it come from? I haven't seen any low flying storks.”
Oh this was going to be such fun. Everyone turned to me expecting me to answer but instead, I tilted the child up and jostled him a bit so that he opened his eyes in irritation. Roarke gasped and jerked back like I'd slapped him. Then he recovered and moved forward slowly until he was barely a inch away from us.
“Is that a fire cat baby?” He hesitantly stroked the baby's face and the child cocked his head to regard Roarke with a sassy look. “Is that my baby?”
“It appears so,” Arach handed Roarke the note.
Roarke read it and then read it again. “Anna,” he finally whispered. “She never told me she was with child and I bet she never would have,” he looked up at his son, “except you changed all that, didn't you?” He smirked at his child and I swear the kid smirked back at him. “Well, let me hold him then.”
“Congratulations, Daddy,” I laid the baby in his arms.
“Daddy,” Roarke mused with a little smile. “I'm a Daddy,” then his eyes filled with tears.
“Alright, everyone,” I shooed the others away, let's leave the new father to adjust. They all swept by Roarke, offering him congratulations and pats on the back before they went inside. “Are you alright?” I asked him, Arach and Salem at my back.
“What if I fuck it up?” He looked up at me, terror written all over his face. “What if I end up being just like my father?”
“There is no chance of that, trust me. Your father can't be duplicated.” I rolled my eyes and he gave me a little chuckle for my effort. “We're all going to help you, okay? Don't worry about it. Uh, hold on one sec,” I pulled Arach aside and asked him permission for what I was about to do, since he'd got on my case recently about that whole asking first thing. He agreed and I went back to Roarke. “You can use our nursery, move into the room beside it or move into the nursery itself for all I care,” I laughed.
“I couldn't use the royal nursery,” he shook his head.
“It's not getting used at the moment,” I shrugged.
“And this child is a Prince,” Arach added. “His nursery will be a royal one.”
“I...” Roarke sighed, “thank you.”
“Of course,” before I could say more, a horrible screeching came from the castle entrance and we all looked up to see the entire fire cat clan come running across the drawbridge.
“Let me see him!” Mairi was clapping her hands, she was so excited. “Oh he's beautiful, give him here.”
“Hey now,” Roarke held him back. “I just got him.”
“You'll get him back in a second, come on,” she wailed.
“Hurry up and let her hold him,” Una cried, “because I'm holding him next.”
“Look,” Roarke put on his grown-up face. “I'll let the two of you help me care for him if you promise to be very gentle with him. You realize he's your Prince.”
“We promise,” the women chorused and Mairi made a grab for the baby.
They squealed and oohed and ahhed over the child as the male cats came over and congratulated Roarke. He was grinning ear to ear, shaking hands while keeping a careful eye on his son the entire time. Then the women headed off with the child and he was left to follow after them.
“Nicely done, you con artist,” I said as I hurried in beside him.
“Thank you,” he laughed. “I think I'll have all the help I need now.”
“No kidding,” I shook my head as I heard Una whine that it was her turn to hold the Prince.
“So any ideas on a name?” Arach came up along my other side.
“I'll have to think about it,” Roarke shrugged, “but I know I want it to be something nontraditional, something to show that he was one of the first new births to herald in a new age of Faerie.”
“Sounds wonderful,” I smiled at him. “Now we just need to free Faerie so she can enjoy this new age as well.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“So, what's it to be then?” I asked Roarke as he walked into the nursery with his son.
“His name is Hunter,” he placed the baby in the diamond cradle and set it to swinging.
Yes, the cradle in the royal nursery was a gigantic diamond. I was told it was because it was fireproof and resistant to dragon claws but I'm sure it would work just fine with cat claws too. The scratching post in the corner should help as well.
“I like it,” I touched a sapphire maenach hanging from the mobile of fey creatures above the crib. In reality the sea creature scared the bejesus out of me but carved out of sapphire, it was quite pretty. “It's cool, a strong name.”
“Modern,” he nodded, staring down at his sleeping son. “It also references the Wild Hunt, something he'll be a part of someday. It's kind of my way of giving the earth cats the finger.”
“Well I'm glad to know you chose a special name for your son that had nothing to do with petty animosity,” I snorted.
“It wasn't the main reason,” he finally looked up at me and I realized that as much as Roarke would always be Roarke, this child had affected him deeply.
“You're going to be a fantastic father,” I grinned at him.
“As if being King wasn't pressure enough,” he huffed.
“So are you moving in here?” I waved to the new bed set against the wall.
“No, that's for whomever is looking after him at the time,” he grinned. “I've moved in next door. There's going to be people in and out of here at all hours and I still want my privacy. And sleep.”
“Yeah well you're a parent now, privacy's a word you won't even know the meaning of in a few years,” I huffed. “And you can forget about sleep.”
“Yeah, okay,” he laughed as if I really was joking with him.
>
“Well, I'll leave you to your privacy then,” I laughed as well and walked out the door, knowing that he'd soon see the truth of my words. “Enjoy it while you can.”
“I heard that,” he called after me but I was already shutting the door.
I had some plans of my own and I had to let Arach know before I went about them. I walked to the next door down and went into our bedroom. He was just coming out of the bathroom, his hair wet and clinging to his shoulders like rivulets of fresh blood. I had a flash of him, standing naked and covered in blood but I quickly pushed away the horrible imagery and went to kiss him goodbye.
“I'm going to pop over to the God Realm with the air stones and my pearl,” I said as I turned and collected the pouch I'd prepared. “Is that alright with you?”
“Of course,” he waved a hand toward me. “Go ahead, I'll just hold my breath till you return.”
“Very funny,” I laughed as I changed into my modern clothes. “Okay, ring it's time to go back.”
I felt the air condense around me and the shivering rush of my body being pulled through time and the Aether.
>O<
And then I was back.
Arach took a dramatic breath and I giggled, remembering that he'd said something about holding his breath. Then he saw what I was wearing and his mouth fell open.
“What is that?”
“It's a toga,” I grinned. “I just came from a party.”
“That is not a toga, that is a bed sheet,” Arach declared as he walked forward. He touched the emerald at my throat, the necklace Odin had given me. “And this hardly goes with a bed sheet.”
“You know I like wearing my emerald,” I shrugged. “And why wouldn't it go with a bed sheet?”
“It would,” he grinned and untied the toga, tossing it to the bed behind me. “As long as the sheet is actually on a bed.”
He lifted me up and I soon followed the trajectory of the sheet, landing splayed out on the mattress.
“And what do you think you're doing?” I raised a brow at him.